Governor Bentley Details Legislative Budget Cuts to Calhoun County

ANNISTON – Governor Robert Bentley on Friday met with members of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce to provide an update on a number of state issues including Alabama’s current budget crisis and the impact to Calhoun County if the Legislature’s severe cuts are enacted.

“We are facing a tremendous crisis in our General Fund Budget that will impact every Alabama County if not addressed by the Alabama Legislature,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “I am committed to finding new revenue so our state agencies can continue to provide essential services to Alabamians. For decades, we have failed to address the way our non-education state agencies are funded. With no one-time money available to support the General Fund and debts that are owed, we have a real crisis on our hands. I encourage the residents of Calhoun County to let their elected Senators and Representatives know that these cuts will hurt the people in Calhoun County.”

The Alabama Legislature is considering a proposal that deeply cuts funding for state services. Each state agency was created by law to provide specific services to taxpayers. If enacted, these cuts will put the state in a position incapable of providing many of the essential services of government.

The specific cuts to Calhoun County include:

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency could lay off 99 or the 431 Highway Patrol Troopers statewide.
Thirteen Trooper Posts may close; one of the 13 could be the Jacksonville Post.
Alabama National Guard – As many as 25 Alabama Army National guard armories could close due to the Legislature’s proposed budget cuts, and the Calhoun County armory in Oxford is one of the 25 armories.
Administrative Office of the Courts – All 67 Alabama County Courthouses will be required to cut staff and citizens will experience longer wait times for cases to be resolved.
The cuts would close the Agriculture and Rural crime unit, which means no assistance to the locals for such investigations.
Department of Corrections – Inmate occupancy rate could increase to 222% of designed capacity.

In February, Governor Bentley presented his budget plan with additional revenue for the General Fund that would avoid the devastating cuts. Governor Bentley’s budget solution includes additional revenue in the form of fair taxes and will cover the revenue shortfall in the General Fund and pay off millions of dollars in debt the state owes. Details on the Governor’s revenue package can be found here.

“Now is the time for real solutions to address our budget challenges. I was elected to solve problems, and I urge members of the Legislature to work with me to put this state on a successful path forward. By working together, we can make Alabama better for future generations,” Bentley added.